In the last two editions of the magazine, I have introduced the Careers & Enterprise Company, The Enterprise Adviser Network (EAN) and the work being undertaken in the Coast to Capital LEP area in connecting the work of businesses with our local schools and colleges. It has been an exciting 12 months and with the support of volunteer Enterprise Advisers from local organisations, a network of leaders from business and education has been created. This network is collaborating to create careers and enterprise strategies that provide the structure for employers and schools to connect and deliver meaningful interactions and activities in our schools and colleges, providing young people with a better understanding of the skills and qualifications they need to gain employment on leaving education.

As a result of funding from the Careers & Enterprise Company, the recruitment of four new Enterprise Coordinators is underway. Once appointed and in their roles, the Enterprise Coordinators will each be working with clusters of schools and colleges, recruiting Enterprise Advisers to match with Headteachers and their senior leadership teams, in order to build strategies that will increase the number of encounters that students have with employers, businesses and further and higher education institutions. By the end of this academic year, the EAN will consist of 100 schools and colleges and more than 100 senior level business volunteers as Enterprise Advisers.

Why is this needed and what is the impact of the Enterprise Adviser Network so far in our region?

Marie Harding is Head of Careers at The Regis School and says: “Linking with the EAN has had a massive impact on the way that Careers Information Advice & Guidance (CIAG) is delivered within the school. Students benefit in a number of ways both directly and indirectly from the contact we now have with the local business community. The EAN has given me the support I need to be able to offer students many more opportunities for contact with employers than I would ever be able to achieve if I were working alone. I know that if I have an event to run or need a speaker for an assembly, our Enterprise Adviser Kevin usually knows someone from the network. With Kevin’s support we have managed to secure a large number of businesses and volunteers to come in and provide interactive experiences for our students. These real world experiences will have a far greater impact on the students than learning in the classroom alone, and will help them to develop essential employability skills for entering the world of work.”

To find out how you and your business can join the Enterprise Adviser Network and inspire the workforce of the future, contact Georgina Angele, Senior Enterprise Coordinator on 07879 980444 or georgina.angele@coast2capital.org.uk.